Dubai International started the New Year with record monthly traffic, exceeding 6.4 million passengers in January.

According to the traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports today, passenger traffic reached 6,400,706 in January 2014, up 15.1 per cent from 5,559,760 recorded during the same month in 2013. The bumper traffic was boosted by the seasonal rush of holidaymakers into Dubai, as well as the recently concluded Dubai Shopping Festival, which attracts travellers from all around the world, particularly from the region.

Regionally the AGCC recorded the highest growth in passenger traffic (+180,982 passengers) – mainly boosted by double digit traffic growth recorded by Doha, Jeddah and Riyadh – followed by Western Europe (+140,910), and the Indian Subcontinent (+126,305 passengers). Eastern Europe was the fastest-expanding market in terms of percentage growth (+42 per cent), followed by the Australasia (+34.5 per cent), Asia Pacific (+26.7 per cent) and Asia (20.7 per cent).

India remained the top destination country (800,397 passengers) with financial capital Mumbai as the busiest destination, followed by Saudi Arabia (514,071 passengers) and the UK (435,806 passengers). Doha was placed number one on the list of top destination cities followed closely by London.

Aircraft movements totalled 32,625 during the month under review compared to 31,332 movements recorded in January 2013, up 4.1 per cent. Passengers per aircraft movement in January came in at 199.

Freight volumes in January 2014 totalled 197,021 tonnes an increase of 4.5 per cent compared to 188,520 tonnes recorded in January 2013.

Welcoming the record performance Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports noted that unhindered growth is the mandate given to Dubai’s aviation sector and timely infrastructure expansion and its full utilisation is key to achieving that goal.

“Our new Concourse A is a case in point. With 10,608 A380 scheduled flights to 26 destinations in 2013, Concourse A has helped Dubai International enhance its status as the world’s largest hub for Airbus A380 operations in its first full year of operations.”

Opened on January 2nd 2013, Concourse A handled 14,596,893 passengers and handled more than 22-million bags in its first full year of operations.